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Ministry of Agriculture and Food Ontario 1. WHAT IS CANNING? [i is one method of extending the shelf life of some foods. By using this method of food preservation. pCElChES can be enjoyed in February. Canning consists .|‘ sealing food in a glass jar or a metal can. then suffi- icntly heat processing to prevent food spoilage. By .irtue of this definition. jams. jellies and pickles are not under discussion here. '1. WHAT FOODS SHOULD I CAN? That depends on what food you want to preserve rid what equipment you have or are willing to pur~ :iase. Not all foods are canned successfully. Mushrooms .ir example are a definite hazard so are not recomA .icnded partly because of their very low acidity. and no. because a Safe processing time has not been de- 'rmined. Foods suitable for canning are divided into two iicgories (highâ€"acid Foods and lowâ€"acid foods) each ~.ith it‘s own recommended method of processing (hot '.l.|.€F bath and pressure canning). Fruits as well as tomatoes with added citric acid me high acid foods. and are processed using the hot nter bath. -. WHAT CAUSES FOOD SPOILAGE? ENZYMES. naturally present in food can cause wicrioraiion of flavor. color and texture, MOLDS AND YEASTS are likely to grow in high- cid Foods. Because they must have air to grow, their iresence is an indication of a faulty seal or improper ‘iUCCSSlllg in canned fruits. Molds show up as fuzzy niches. Rising bubbles are usually the result of fer» .icntation of yeasts. Enzymes. yeast and molds are destroyed by heat 1 100°C or 212°]: the boiling point of water). BACTERIA require a higher temperature for their destruction and occur more frequently in low-acid mods. There are many types ol‘spoilage bacteria. Any Itange in texture (mushy. slimy). in odor ("ofl". putâ€" ildt or in color (discoloration) should be considered a potential hazard. DO NOT TASTE! DISCARD! There is another hazard which may not physically till'ect the food in any way, This is botulism. For this reason. all low-acid home canned foods must be boiled rapidly for ten minutes. stirring occasionally. even though they have been pressure canned. -l. WHAT IS BOTULISM? Deadly. It can kill in a matter of hours. Botutism is the term used to describe the illness resulting from food which contains the toxin from bacteria called t.’LOSTR1DlUM BOTULINUM. This Clostridiltm Botulinum. sometimes present in vegetables. is not de- Putting the lid on . . . CANNING QUERIES stroyed even after processing in a boiling water bath for several hours. Vegetables must be processed at 10 pounds pressure for the required length oftime in or- der to destroy this bacterium. 1f the Clostridium Bo- tulinum toxin is present in a jar ofcarined vegetables. just a taste of the contents can lead to death. Even when processed in a preswre ctinner. all homeâ€"canned vegetables must be boiled for 10 min- utes before tasting to ensure safety. Stir occasionally. These points considered. it must be recognized that home canning of vegetables can be impractical and unsafe. It is far better to preserve vegetables in a home Freezer. A freezer can be used to preserve vegetables in shorter time with much less effort. and with no fear of deadly toxins being present. Although a freezer is ini- tially more expensive than a pressure canner. it is con- siderably more useful. 5. WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO CAN FOOD? When the food is ready and when you are ready. In fact. the shorter the time between picking and can- ning the better. as the flavor and nutrient content will be :11 their peak. 6. WHAT ARE THE RECOMMENDED METHODS OF CANNING? There are two: the hot water bath and pressure can- ning. Filled. closed containers are completely submerged in hot water for a specific length of time. The timing starts when the water in the covered processor reaches boiling point 100°C (313”F) and continues to boil throughout the processing period. If. for some reason the water stops boiling. the timing must be started again and continued the full length of time. unintcr» rupted.That way the food will be safe. The hot Waferbaffl method is recommended for hingieid foods only. Vegetables on the otth hand are low-acid foods. The only recommended method of heat processing these foods is in a pressure calmer where the tempera- ture can be raised to 115°C (240”F) til 10 pounds pres» sure for a specific period of time. Like the hot water bath processor. the timing of the pressure canner must continue uninterrupted. Jars or cans must never be put directly on the bottom of any processor as this will impede circulation of the water and inadequate processing will result. Always puijars or cuns on a rack, Be sure to read and understand the manufacturer's instructions before you begin pressure canning. These instructions must be followed explicitly. NOTE: Canning meat. poultry or fish is not recom- mended in Ontario. 19